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2000 years of Christian history testifies to the fact that oral tradition is most definitely NOT worthless.
It's true that anyone can invent a new doctrine and claim it to be apostolic tradition. That's why we have the Apostolic Church, so that we can know what is truly apostolic and what is not.
Jesus did reference oral tradition in Matthew 23:2, as there is nothing in the Old Testament about Moses' seat of authority.
Matthew 2:23 references the prophecy that "He would be called a Nazarene". This prophecy is not found anywhere in the Old Testament, so was an oral tradition.
I wouldn’t say church history is worthless, but I would say the writings were not inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Whatever Matthew wrote came by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Whatever teachings Catholic leaders come up with that are not recorded in Scripture are not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus NEVER gave His apostles authority to create new teachings.
I wouldn’t say church history is worthless, but I would say the writings were not inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Whatever Matthew wrote came by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Whatever teachings Catholic leaders come up with that are not recorded in Scripture are not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus NEVER gave His apostles authority to create new teachings.
Doesn't sola scripture mean that only the scriptures in Bible count and any scriptures outside of the Bible, like the EnochX scrolls don't count ?
Scripture itself is derived from scribe. Scriptures were the scrolls written by scribes.
But sola scripture only counts the scriptures contained within the Bible to be sacred.
That is my understanding. Am I off ?
The sixty-six books of the Bible have been accepted as Scripture since they were written, copied and circulated.
The Roman Catholic Church did not officially recognize the Apocrypha as belonging in the Bible until the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546.
No general church council in the first four centuries of Christian history endorsed apocryphal books.
Understanding requires research, which is time consuming. What’s more important is spending time in God’s word learning what one must do to be saved, and to learn how to live a life pleasing to God.
What if one believes Scripture is from God,
and loves the Scriptures,
but recognizes that scripture itself SHOWS that scripture ALONE is NOT the sole way that God communicates?
for example: The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech,
they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Psalm 19:1-3
Scripture is the ONLY way God communicates His will to man today!
However, He does communicate His existence to us through His creation.
Psalm 19:1-3 is very much like Romans 1:20.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
God’s beautiful creation is meant for man to know there is a God. I can speak for myself only, but when I see a sunrise over the Smoky Mountains, it tells me what an awesome creator we have. It makes me want to reach up into the skies and touch the hand who made it all.
However, God’s creation, wonderful though it may be, doesn’t communicate to me what one must to to gain eternal life. It doesn’t tell me how God wants me to worship Him or how He wants me to live my life. This is why He gave us the wonderful gift of His word, so we would know what He wants from each of us.
Actually He did. We are not to add or take away from His word, and we are not to preach another gospel. Those words were spoken by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The sixty-six books of the Bible have been accepted as Scripture since they were written, copied and circulated.
The Roman Catholic Church did not officially recognize the Apocrypha as belonging in the Bible until the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546.
No general church council in the first four centuries of Christian history endorsed apocryphal books.
Understanding requires research, which is time consuming. What’s more important is spending time in God’s word learning what one must do to be saved, and to learn how to live a life pleasing to God.
"Catholic Church officials cited a list of books of scripture presented as having been made canonical at the Council of Rome (382). Later, the Catholic Church formally affirmed its canon of scripture with the Synod of Hippo (393), followed by a Council of Carthage (397), another Council of Carthage (419), the Council of Florence (1431-1449), and the Council of Trent (1545-1563). The canon consists of 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, for a total of 73 books in the Catholic Bible."
The Council(s) have been including the Apocrypha as part of their canon since 382. They have not wavered since then.
Scripture is the ONLY way God communicates His will to man today!
However, He does communicate His existence to us through His creation.
Psalm 19:1-3 is very much like Romans 1:20.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
God’s beautiful creation is meant for man to know there is a God. I can speak for myself only, but when I see a sunrise over the Smoky Mountains, it tells me what an awesome creator we have. It makes me want to reach up into the skies and touch the hand who made it all.
However, God’s creation, wonderful though it may be, doesn’t communicate to me what one must to to gain eternal life. It doesn’t tell me how God wants me to worship Him or how He wants me to live my life. This is why He gave us the wonderful gift of His word, so we would know what He wants from each of us.
The wonderful gift He gave us is His Son Jesus, the ONE AND ONLY Word of God (Logos). If the bold in your post is true why did Jesus promise us the Comforter (Paraclete) as our guide and tell us not to rely on words "written in ink" but on what God has "written in our hearts" with agape love?? when we are in the states of mind associated with God's Holy Spirit we are guided by His agape love to the Truth. That is NOT true when we interpret according to the letter of words "written in ink" because the letter leads to death. Only the Spirit leads us to life!
John 16:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
John 16:12-14 King James Version (KJV)
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
John 14:26 King James Version (KJV)
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
1 John 2:27 (King James Version)
27But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.
2nd Corinthians 3: 2-6 (King James Version)
2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Only when our hearts turn to the Holy Spirit revealed and demonstrated by Jesus on the Cross is the veil lifted from our hearts.
2nd Corinthians 3:14-17 King James Version
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
The "Lord is that Spirit" refers to Jesus as the Holy Spirit, the Word of God (Logos), NOT the Bible!!!
The sixty-six books of the Bible have been accepted as Scripture since they were written, copied and circulated.
The Roman Catholic Church did not officially recognize the Apocrypha as belonging in the Bible until the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546.
No general church council in the first four centuries of Christian history endorsed apocryphal books.
Understanding requires research, which is time consuming. What’s more important is spending time in God’s word learning what one must do to be saved, and to learn how to live a life pleasing to God.
Yet until that "list" was made they were all considered scriptural work. Go figure
Actually He did. We are not to add or take away from His word, and we are not to preach another gospel. Those words were spoken by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
I have only ever found that written in Revelations and Enoch 1.
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